Home renovation currently is very popular in Houston due principally to a low level of housing inventory and new home construction prices steadily increasing.
As a result, owners are implementing internet searches such as home remodeling near me to upgrade their existing house.
Home renovation is a fantastic alternative to new home construction if you want the current trending modern look of the day for a far less overall cost.
In Metro Houston, Texas the cost of new house construction is a major investment if you have the 12-18 months to design a house on your lot.
This is due to a number of factors such high land cost, rising construction cost and an increasing demand for single family house close to the downtown area of Houston.
As houses age they require more than general maintenance. Major home improvement components like air conditioners, roof shingles and appliances begin to fail.
Although each of these can be a major expense, the replacement of these home replacement products offers homeowners an opportunity to upgrade other areas of the home during the home renovation.
This practice provides continuity for a major home renovation in the design and construction improvements.
In many cases where the owner has been in the house for a lengthy period of time, they can use their increases in the homes equity to finance these improvements.
For major renovation projects many lenders will use the ARV (after repair value) to access the equity amount.
This allows the owner to use the minimum out of pocket capital if they can afford the increase in the new mortgage payment.
Since a home renovation is such a competitive alternative to new house construction, we will discuss the essential items of preparing to renovate your house.
The task associated with house remodeling can be complicated and time consuming.
There is also a sequential order that these tasks should be implemented which can be confusing to those that have not experienced home remodeling.
To learn about the home renovation process from design through completion visit our link.
Home renovation requires a home renovator, a home designer and a financial plan
Selecting a Professional Renovator
The best place to start for a homeowner is hiring a reputable renovation contractor. This can easier say than done, because house renovators are not made the same.
Not conducting your due diligence process for the proper renovator is a common mistake in the home renovation process.
There are essentially 3 business models of renovators, the self-performing contractor model, the small crew contractor & subcontractor model and the general contractor model.
The primary difference between the self-performing renovation contractor and the small crew contractor is that the small crew contractor will operate with employees and/or subcontractors.
The general contractor renovation company typically operates with strictly subcontractors. The GC may have supervising employees, but will normally subcontract each item of the scope of work.
Selecting the best renovator for your project greatly depends upon the size, complexity and the quality required.
Researching each contractor’s experience and qualifications is essential to determine a right fit for both the owner and the renovation contractor.
This can begin with researching a collective group of renovators on Google.
Looking at the contractor’s website, reading online reviews and reading their published work will go a long way in creating a short list of relevant remodeling companies.
The most effective method of identifying the short list of renovation contractors is to prepare a list of questions to ask them. The following link is such as FAQ list.
Preparing to discuss items like the construction schedule, qualifying conditions and details of the scope of work to develop a written proposal.
Once you have your renovator it’s time to either bid your construction plans or design your construction plans.
If you have had an architect prepare design plans and engineering, the short list of renovation contractors can submit a detailed proposal.
If the owners do not have home plans for soliciting bids, you will be required to have plans prepared.
The owner will need to hire a design build contractor or have the selected general contractor take responsibility for the design plans.
Updating Home Design
One of the motivating factors in a home renovation is the ability to update the home design. Introducing new products, open floor plans and the latest in interior decorations provides owners with the rewards of a home renovation.
Keeping up with all the home renovation process can be a bit overwhelming. We will break this down into the high priority design features that need to be carefully considered during the architectural design phase.
Designing for Lifestyle – One of the most important factors to think through clearly is how do you and your family plan to use your house.
House design should be designed around the owner’s lifestyle.
How the family uses the house should be the paramount driver for how the space is developed.
If the owners entertain, they should allow the space appropriately for gatherings.
If the owners have children, they should have an area for studying and entertaining friends.
If the owners have hobbies or like to exercise, they should plan a home gym and art room.
Increasing Functionality – One of the more overlooked added value design features is increasing the functionality of the homes space.
A common area for this is the kitchen. Older house’s kitchens were closed off with many walls and commonly undersized.
The current demand for modern kitchens is larger open areas for gatherings and bistro style serving areas.
Trending Architectural Designs – Your house design will have greater resale value and serve the owner better if the owner introduces trending architectural design features that enhance the functional and ecstatic value of the space.
That is not to say that the owner should introduce architectural features for the sake of design features, but rather add them to an area because the bring out the best of the space.
Home Technology – Technology is here to stay and no more present than single-family homes. An entire cooling/heating and lighting of a house can be operated through aniphone network.
No longer do smart homes need to be elaborate and overly complicated. The advances in solar energy, LED lighting and net metering have made house technology pay for itself. Houses can be easily operated remotely.
Benefits of Home Renovation
Understanding the benefits of a home renovation helps defines both the owner’s construction goals and justify the financial commitment to achieving these goals.
The renovation company can assist in developing the financial analysis for evaluating the monetary benefits.
In some renovating projects the improvements like a kitchen or bathroom remodel do not require an in-depth financial evaluation.
These projects if done in as a moderate percentage of the total house improvement value range are more about the emotional fulfillment of the improvements.
The financial feasibility practice should be an accepted practice of any major home renovation that has an impact on the overall value of the property by 20%.
When the remodeling improvement exceeds the 20% value range, it is prudent to consider all available options to the owner.
These options can be buying an alternative house, building a new house or postponing the project until a better alternative is defined.
But for those home renovation projects that are financially feasible and have a positive effect on the properties overall value, it is important to understand their impact.
These benefits are items that have a direct impact on the return on investment, the energy consumption / cost, routine property maintenance and the overall service life of the house.
Return of Investment – Any substantial renovation improvement should have the return of investment considered as part of the decision making.
Every major home renovation has an effect on the overall value of the property. The question an owner should evaluate is what return of the invested capital will be returned at the time of sale.
This does not mean that this should be the only factor considered but the owner should be mindful of the anticipated return on capital.
In most cases any short-term return on capital above 75% should be considered as a reasonably good return on investment.
A return on investment should be measured over at least a 5-year period of time. Remodeling homes and expecting a return on investment in less than 24 months is unrealistic.
It is also reasonable to expect that other economic events can have an impact from year to year on the actual ROI.
Energy Efficiency – As the cost of energy continues to climb and the importance of house energy efficiency becomes more important.
House energy efficiency is measured in individual products and collectively as a house. In Houston the greatest consumer of electricity is house air conditioning.
By making the house more energy efficient the owner reduces the cost of electricity required to operate the house.
Measuring the efficiency of the air conditioning system involves many contributing factors such as windows, insulation, thermostat settings and of course the HVAC equipment. The home refrigeration system is measured in SEER terms.
The higher the SEER factor the better. Insulation is measured in R-factors and windows are measured in U-factors. The lower the U-factor the better.
It is the collective calculation of all these factors that provides a value established by Energy Star that gives a home the seal of approval.
Another aspect of house energy efficiency is the source of energy the house uses as consumption.
As technology has advanced, houses have been introduced to alternative energy sources other than the electric grid.
These include solar energy, wind and geo-thermo energy sources. These alternative energy sources require a capital investment for the required equipment to produce energy.
These systems can be outright purchased or leased to reduce the cost of monthly electrical expenses.
Deferring Maintenance – One of the overlooked benefits of a major remodeling project is that they often include multiple home products that either require routine maintenance or service obsolesce.
A home renovation ultimately reduces the maintenance cost and allows the owner to save money by buying replacement products at a bundled price or more competitively purchased from having the time to shop prices.
Increase Service Life – Your house is a collection of independent products that are assembled to create the house.
Much like an automobile, as the house gets used and over time products begin to fail or malfunction. Proper maintenance can often extend the service life of the products and ultimately the service life of the house.
Unlike an automobile most homes increase in value over a period of time provided they are maintained.
The Top 5 Rooms to Renovate In Your Houston Home
Planning your home renovation, and don’t know where to start? Well, here are 5 rooms you can consider renovating to improve your home’s value and livability.
- Kitchen: What do you do after a hectic day or before you start your morning? Cook for yourself or make a cup of coffee. Your kitchen is the heart of your home and you can renovate it to increase aesthetic appeal, resale value and functionality.
- Bathroom: Try adding luxurious features like walk-in showers, double vanities and spa-like touches if you want your bathroom to look like it’s straight out of a vogue cover.
- Living Room: Open floor plans with stylish lighting and smart home integrations in the living room are a dream come true for every homeowner.
- Home Office: With remote work rising, a dedicated, functional home office can help skyrocket your productivity as well as the marketability of your space.
- Primary Bedroom: Upgrade your primary suite with modern closets, ambient lighting and en-suite enhancements to provide comfort and level up your space.
Whole Home Renovation vs Partial Remodel
One of the most challenging decisions for an owner to make is to conduct a partial remodel or a whole home renovation.
Yes, a whole home renovation is substantially more expensive than a partial remodel, but sometimes a simple kitchen remodel is not sufficient to capture the intent of the design theme.
This is often the case when owners are changing architectural themes.
If you have a traditional interior design and you are attempting to incorporate a modern design feeling into the space, it may not carry the overall design impact on the balance of the traditional design areas.
If you find yourself in such a dilemma where you cannot afford a full home renovation but need to do something with the kitchen, it is best to at least completely design the whole home renovation design.
Phasing construction improvements can be executed in different phases using the continuity of the renovation design plan.
This keeps your renovation efforts consistent with the house design plan and allows the owner to make the improvements as they can afford.
Tackling a house renovation can be both challenging and rewarding but must be approached with a long-range game plan.
A complete house remodel requires the commitment to be deliberate in your decision making and a collaborating approach with professionals that are like minded.
Houston’s Home Renovation Trends: Styles and Features to Consider
If you have ever been to Houston, or have been living there for years, you probably know how remarkably spectacular the town is. The Space City is known for being the convergence of Southern Charm and modernism. Homeowners have a wide range of creative choices while renovating their homes, and in case you are one of them we have some interesting tips for you.
Whether you are restoring a historic property, or designing a new place from scratch, here’s a brief overview of Houston’s architectural influences, so you can create a space that stands out while respecting the city’s character.
1. Mid-Century Modern
Among all the architectural styles, mid-century homes are one of the most charming forms. With their clean lines, flat planes, and large glass windows, they remain quite a popular option in Houston’s neighborhoods like Memorial and Briargrove.
If you are thinking about home renovation and highlighting the iconic features of these properties, opt for open floor plans and indoor-outdoor connections. You can reach out to your contractor and discuss updates like refinishing the terrazzo floors, replacing outdated windows with energy-efficient glass, and adding modern lighting fixtures to enhance the minimalist aesthetics.
2. Colonial Revival
When you go to historic districts like The Heights, you would witness a beautiful sprawl of colonial revival homes. These homes are known for features like symmetrical facades, shuttered windows, and gabled roofs.
Homeowners who are following the colonial revival trend for their home renovation, need to maintain historical accuracy while incorporating modern convenience. Try restoring the original wood floors, and crown molding, updating kitchens with period-appropriate cabinetry, and expanding living areas with effortless additions that respect the original architecture of your space.
3. Ranch-Style Homes
Let us tell you something, Houston has sprawling suburbs, such as West University and Bellaire, which are filled with ranch-style homes. If your focus is on this style while home remodeling, you can prioritize functionality and simplicity.
Known for their single-story layouts and low-pitched roofs, ranch-style homes are perfect for families that want an amalgamation of functionality and aesthetics. So, tell your contractor you want to modernize the interiors with open-concept designs, update facades with fresh paint and stone accents, and improve curb appeal with new landscaping.
4. Contemporary Modern
Contemporary modern architecture lives and breathes in areas like Montrose and Upper Kirby. These homes stand out for their bold, geometric shapes, flat roofs, and minimalist interiors. If your goal is Contemporary Modern, make your renovation project inclined towards eco-friendly materials, floor-to-ceiling windows, and sleek, integrated design elements. In addition, homeowners can also add smart home technologies, such as automated lighting and HVAC systems, so they can complement the futuristic aesthetic of these homes.
5. Mediterranean Revival
Mediterranean-style homes, inspired by Spanish and Italian architecture, are a staple in upscale neighborhoods like River Oaks. These homes feature stucco walls, red-tile roofs, and wrought iron detailing.
To get that Mediterranean vibe in your space, focus your renovations on outdoor spaces with courtyards, fountains, and pergolas, and remodel your interiors with modern kitchens and luxurious bathrooms. In addition, use neutral tones and natural stone finishes, as it helps to maintain that chic Mediterranean charm spectacularly.
Houston Renovation Ideas That Add Instant Curb Appeal
Do you know the remodeling industry in Texas is expected to grow to $6.8 billion over the five years from 2024? Although there are specifically hundreds of ways to remodel your home, enhancing your curb appeal is definitely the best trick in the book.
https://www.ibisworld.com/us/industry/texas/remodeling/39739/
In every home remodeling project, the curb appeal is given a specific place because it is one of the most impactful ways to increase your home’s value and make a great first impression. Especially in Houston, where architectural diversity meets warm weather and lush landscapes, homeowners have numerous ways to jazz up their exteriors. Whether you are planning home renovation for a sale, or you just want your home to stand out in the neighbourhood, here are some renovation ideas that can instantly make your curb appeal charming.
1. Refresh Your Front Door
The first thing you need to do is update your front door. Yes, it’s quite a simple update, but there’s no denying that this tiny chance can transform your curb appeal instantly. Choose bold colors like deep red, navy blue, or teal. In addition, you can also add stylish hardware, such as a modern knocker, or sleek handle. For extra flair, you can also reach out to your contractors for installing a custom wood or wrought iron door, which is quite the hype in many swanky Houston neighborhoods.
2. Update Exterior Lighting
Strategic lighting doesn’t just enhance safety outdoors; it also highlights your architectural features. So, consider adding wall-mounted lanterns, string lights for a cozy ambiance, or spotlights to accentuate trees and garden features. You can also consider solar-powered options because they are both eco-friendly and cost-effective.
3. Upgrade Your Landscaping
Houston’s warm climate offers you more than enough scope to use landscaping to your home’s advantage. You can pick some hardy, drought-tolerant plants like agave, lavender, and ornamental grasses. In addition, for your home remodeling, you can also add flower beds with vibrant seasonal blooms, or create pathways with natural stones for a polished look. While you are at it, don’t forget to trim the overgrown trees and bushes for a more inviting appeal.
4. Add a Fresh Coat of Paint
The best and the most cost-effective way to breathe new life into your space is through a fresh coat of paint. Choose neutral tones like beige, gray, and white and they will be the classic choices. However, you can experiment a bit, and add a contrasting trim color to make your home stand out. If your home has a brick exterior, consider limewashing or painting the brick for a modern yet timeless look.
For homeowners who are wondering, which paint is meant for which architectural style, here’s a breakdown of the facts:
| Architectural Style | Recommended Colors | Recommended Trim Colors |
| Mid-Century Modern | Neutral tones like charcoal gray, off-white, or sage green. | Crisp white, black, or natural wood tones. |
| Colonial Revival | Traditional shades like navy blue, soft beige, or brick red. | Bright white, cream, or black. |
| Ranch Style | Earthy tones like taupe, olive green, or warm beige. | Chocolate brown, cream, or sage green. |
| Contemporary Modern | Bold and sleek tones such as matte black, dark gray, or pure white. | Chrome, black, or wood accents. |
| Mediterranean Revival | Warm hues like terracotta orange, sunny yellow, or creamy beige. | Rustic brown, soft gray, or white. |
| Victorian | Pastel tones like lavender, pale blue, or soft peach. | Ivory, charcoal gray, or muted gold. |
| Craftsman | Natural colors like forest green, burnt orange, or warm gray. | Cream, dark brown, or deep burgundy. |
| Industrial Lofts | Neutral industrial tones like cool gray, charcoal, or soft beige. | Black, dark bronze, or white. |
| French Country | Subdued colors like pale yellow, soft gray, or light blue. | Antique white, warm beige, or sage green. |
| Traditional Brick Homes | Complementary colors like taupe, warm gray, or deep green (for non-brick sections or accents). | White, charcoal, or soft beige. |
5. Install a Statement Fence or Gate
A well-designed fence or gate can define the illustrious highlights of your property. In Houston, wrought iron gates and contemporary horizontal wood fences are especially popular. They don’t just enhance overall security, but they also contribute to more cohesive exterior designs. If you already have a fence, a simple repaint or power wash can make a big difference.
6. Add Outdoor Living Spaces
So, most people don’t think about this initially, but as they proceed through the vibrant character of Houston’s modern homes, they realize that outdoor living spaces could be a brilliant idea.
Fret not, we are here to discuss this for your remodeling project from the very beginning. In Houston’s warm, inviting weather, you can add a cozy front porch with comfortable seating, a pergola, or a patio to your home’s outdoors, and it will look posh while adding to the pragmatism. Imagine someone seeing your well-decorated porch with potted plants, outdoor rugs, and accent pillows. Won’t they get that holiday vibe right in the heart of the city?
7. Replace or Refresh Your Garage Door
A dated garage makes your home old and worn out, and if you don’t want that vibe in your space, this is the first thing you need to update in your curb appeal. In Houston, you would see many carriage-style, sleek, and contemporary garage doors; you can install one of those. However, if a replacement isn’t necessary, or if you aren’t starting from scratch, consider repainting your current door or adding decorative hardware to give it a fresh look.
8. Upgrade Walkways and Driveways
Your walkway and driveway are the first things people see when they approach your home. And if they are shabby, your home renovation project should focus on these as well. Try working with your contractors to replace cracked concrete with stamped concrete, natural stone, or brick pavers to create a stunning entryway. For a touch of luxury, you can also add LED pathway lights, so they can guide your visitors to your front door.
9. Add Windows Boxes and Shutters
Window boxes overflowing with colorful flowers or greenery create a charming, cottage-like feel. Custom shutters, painted in complementary colors, can also enhance your home’s architectural style. For Houston’s unpredictable weather, you can always opt for durable materials like composite or PVC to ensure longevity.
10. Update Your Roof
When was the last time you took care of your roof? While most people don’t generally take care of their roofs, there’s no denying that roofs play a massive role in your home’s exterior appeal. For instance, in neighborhoods like River Oaks and Memorial, homeowners opt for premium roofing materials, such as slate or metal for a refined look. However, if full roof replacement isn’t in your budget, you can also clean and repair the damaged shingles to keep that neat charm intact.
It’s a Wrap!
Having a general understanding of the renovation process and how your renovator operates will reduce business surprises and make the house renovation far less stressful.
Working with a remodeling company requires daily communication, patience and a cooperating effort from all concerned.
